Ties That Bind
by ParadoxicalOne
Summary: [GSR] Part 4 ... Sequel to 'Starting Out'. Some revelations of past anxieties between coworkers come out. Sara & everyone mend fences, thus growing closer together.
1. Chapter 1

Ties That Bind

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_Disclaimer_: Every time I write another disclaimer saying I don't own anything about this show I die a little more inside. _CSI_ belongs to CBS…

**A/N – **I would like to offer a thank you to everyone who has been patient with the segmented story. And, a special thanks to all of those who review. You're awesome people, and your comments make me want to keep writing.

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Sara rolled over in bed and snuggled closer to Grissom, pressing her head into the crook of his neck. "God, tonight is going to be horrible."

He was barely out of slumber, struck by her words. "Mmm?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. … I was just thinking about work tonight. Go back to sleep. We've still got a few hours left." Sara shut her eyes and willed him to do the same.

"Honey, work is going to be fine. What are you worried about?" he asked groggily.

"Catherine," Sara merely stated.

Grissom winced at the thought of the pain that was cursing through Sara. It really was going to be hard being a professional and personal team. Hell, he admitted to himself that they were not exactly a professional team – he was her boss. Inwardly, he was still torn between knowing it was wrong and feeling it was right to tell Sara about Catherine's tirade.

Grissom the boss should have – and would have – told her nothing. Grissom the lover told her what she wanted to know. It was going to be a very hard line not to cross when it came to supervisory decisions and actions versus his personal feelings for the woman in his arms.

There was one saving grace in it all – Grissom knew that Sara would not run in there and demand anything from Catherine. He knew Sara well enough to know that she would just stay away from the blond and silently brood about it. As hard as it would be for her to swallow the pill of knowing what she knew, Sara was discrete if anything.

Still, he feared what else he might tell her if she were to ask. Each moment he looked in her eyes, it was getting harder and harder for him to tell her no to anything she asked. That, in itself, would not bode well for either of them. He had to remain aloof and professional when in the lab.

He thought back to the last time he really squared off against Ecklie in reference to Sara. The moment he ran into the office and took the heat for what Sara had done. He put his professional life on the line in that moment. Never once did he regret what he had done. He wanted to believe he would have done it for anyone on the team, but, in reality, he knew better.

Not one single part of his being was divided when he made the resolve to walk into the office and tell Conrad Ecklie that he was not letting CSI Sidle leave the lab. He could not let Sara Sidle out of his life. His selfish fear at the time was that if she left the lab that she would leave him – because he could never have brought himself to tell her about his feelings before.

He had never told her what he told Ecklie, and he believed that he never would. He had not done it out of pity, but how would Sara understand that? The selfishness he could explain, but would she accept that?

However, the moment at hand still hung in the air. Grissom struggled with what to tell her and what not to say. Complicated was an understatement in his mind. Could he live with not telling her what was going on at the lab? Did he not need to be honest with the one person in his life that he wanted to be open with?

He had lived solitarily for all of his adult life, consequentially shutting people out when they got even remotely close. He wanted to walk home to her every day after work and tell her about his day and what bothered him the most. Then, he thought, she would already be there for it, they worked together after all.

The fear of bogging her down with added worries of the political nature – which he hated taking part in – of his job, when it was part of her too, concerned him. He new she carried the job home, as did he. It had been their common ground for so long. They drowned themselves in their work and wallowed in the sadness for so long, and now they had each other to confide in.

Grissom made up his mind in that moment that he needed her so desperately that he would do anything for her. He was wrapped up in her to the point that if she pulled away that he feared he would crumble into pieces. He owed her more than a distant jerk that monitored what and when he said anything.

He could, would, and should share everything with her. Maybe the downfall of his career, but Grissom could not care less. He was willing to let it all go for love – a love that had consumed every fiber of his being. And, he mused to himself, he was not dealing with top secret clearance or world-altering data – it was just political and personnel challenges.

Opening his mouth to finally speak, Grissom noticed the steady rise and fall of Sara's chest as she breathed deeply in sleep. He inwardly chuckled that he had thought so long and hard about what to tell her that she had fallen asleep before he could say anything.

Hours later, Sara awoke and looked up at Grissom staring at her. He had not slept a wink in that time, relishing the sweet touch of her body as he caressed the skin of her back gently as she slept. The little faces and noises she made while she slept intrigued him. She was so peaceful and beautiful. Those were some of the moments he cherished the most in their relationship.

"Sorry," Sara mumbled through the sleepy haze still surrounding her.

"You needed to sleep. Look… Do you want me to talk to Catherine about this?"

Sara wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand and yawned. "Not really. I don't even want to see her tonight." The furrowed brow on Grissom made Sara wince a bit. "I'm not going to go off on her or anything. As much as she wants me to be a lunatic, I'm not going to give her that. … Well, not unless she gives me a reason to."

Grissom pursed his lips in annoyance. "Sara…"

"It was a joke, Grissom. I'm not going to do anything to jeopardize… the lab. But, mostly you. I know they'll blame you if I do something stupid. If no other reason than that, I'll keep my mouth shut." She patted his stomach and rolled from his arms. "We need to get ready for work." She stopped suddenly and looked around. "I just realized… I have no clothes to wear to work tonight." With a quick look at the alarm clock on the nightstand, she added, "And no time to go home and get any."

"Just come in a few minutes late. I'll distract them… with my manly charm," he quipped.

Sara turned and saw a smile on his lips. "Are you crazy? That's not an option – you know that. That'd put us both in too much danger." She sighed heavily.

"Wear one of my T-shirts," he offered, helpfully.

"Yeah, that won't look the least bit odd," she huffed.

"Just offering assistance," he replied with a light shrug and a wink.

Frowning slightly, Sara trotted off towards his shower, calling over her shoulder, "Where are the towels?"

"Hallway closet," he answered absentmindedly as he rolled from the bed. Grissom rifled through his dresser drawers trying to find the smallest T-shirt he had that was presentable enough for Sara to not take offense.

He mused to himself that she just took openly to being in his townhouse. She had no apprehensions it seemed. Her calm demeanor around him and with which she regarded everything in the few days they had been together made him realize just how she really had accepted him, flaws and all.

Grissom found what he was looking for all the way in the back of the bottom drawer. The black T-shirt had not been worn in years. It was a noncommittal color and about a size too small for him now. It might just be what Sara could live with for one evening.

He tossed it on the bed. The next while was filled with his usual routine of the evening before work. He pulled out some clothes for him to wear, started a pot of coffee, and turned on the news channel.

"Your turn," Sara, wrapped in a towel, mumbled on her way past him to the bedroom.

Grissom pried himself away from the weather report to take in her appearance. He wanted to call in sick and hold her in his arms all night. Would she every really know the effect she had on him? "I put a T-shirt on the bed for you."

Her forced chuckle made him smile. Damn, that woman was stubborn. He made his way to the bathroom and quickly showered. His mind was absorbed with thoughts of the shift and how he could help Sara without overstepping his supervisory bounds in the lab. Every thought was gone when he saw Sara sitting on the arm of the couch, sipping her coffee, and thumbing through one of his entomology textbooks.

Without moving or glancing his way, she said, "Your cell has been ringing almost constantly since you stepped in the shower."

Grissom mumbled something incoherent and started dressing while he was checking his voice mail. He realized he had been holding his breath when a large sigh escaped as he heard Brass' voice filter through telling him there was a body that needed some attention just before the shift started.

Sara fidgeted with her coffee sup as Grissom filled her in on the situation and few details that he had. He concluded with, "Start at the lab. Go to my office, grab the assignments off my desk – if there are any, and call me. I'll decide who they go to, and then you meet me at the body."

She found herself giggling and staring at the floor. Grissom found himself perplexed by the odd way she reacted to his directions. What had he said that could make her fall into a fit of laughter?

"What's so funny?"

"You just shifted into work mode. I can't kiss you now," she managed to say through an attempt at a stifled smile.

That brought a smile and a frown almost instantaneously from Grissom. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. When she looked up into his eyes, Grissom did not waste a second to capture her lips in a very passionate kiss.

"I'll call you as soon as I walk into your office," she breathed.

"Mmm. I'll be waiting breathlessly," he replied with a flirtatious grin.


	2. Chapter 2

Ties That Bind

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_Disclaimer_: Refer To Chapter 1…

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Thirty minutes later, Grissom was standing over a dead body when his cell phone chirped. Sara filled him in on cases that were lying on his desk. He directed her on who got which assignment and whispered that she had better hurry because he missed her already. Her response was thwarted by people brushing past her in the hallway and she only told him she would see him soon.

Sara walked into the breakroom and grabbed a cup of coffee. Being thirty minutes early for her shift caused her to be in there alone waiting on the other nightshift CSIs to arrive. It was not long until everyone was sitting at the table expectantly.

She looked up from her magazine and slid the assignment sheets across the table towards the other CSIs. Sara attempted to be casual, but her stomach tied in knots. Her brain froze in the instant she did it, and her breath caught in her throat. It was in that moment that she realized people were going to take this the wrong way.

"What the hell!" Warrick shrieked, his eye twitching.

Everyone reacted just as badly as Sara feared. Nick glanced over at her, apprehension written all over his face. Greg merely sat there staring at the table as if it was in some way fascinating. Catherine, however, made a sucking noise through her teeth and glared at the assignment sheet on the table in front of her.

Catherine squared her jaw and looked determinedly at Sara. Their eyes met in a steely gaze. Sara winced inwardly, but in no way was she going to let this woman shake her down. The fact she had not even wanted to see Catherine that night and was now faced with squaring off against her almost made Sara elated and frightened at the same time.

"Where's Grissom, Sara?" Nick ventured as quietly as he could. He could find himself calling Sara and friend, and he found himself intensely scared for her for a moment.

"No way in hell this is happening," Warrick went on, interrupting the space for Sara to form her answer. "Catherine should be the one taking over – not you."

In that instant, Sara decided she was not going to tell them where Grissom was at that very moment. It was time to hash it all out – all those pent up years of animosity between her and the crew that seemed to just float around and get brought up a the most inopportune time. Grissom's whereabouts would be discussed after this impromptu intervention.

"Okay, here's the deal," she spoke to the room, not a person in particular, "You've been against me since the moment I got off that plane. Actually, probably before that, but, hell, I couldn't feel the tension until I got here, right?" She took a long deliberate sigh, seeing if anyone else was willing to speak.

Seeing everyone staring at her with the exception of Greg who felt he had just been dropped into quicksand, as he sunk lower into his chair. He never once looked up at Sara, and she knew he had never been a part of the problem. Sara glanced reassuringly at Greg for a moment, "Greg, I'm sorry you're here for this… but it's something I think needs to be said."

Sara continued on, "I came in here as the snitch, I know that. No one likes the tattle-tail. Grissom asked me on more than one occasion to look into things to keep them in-house. I did it… and wouldn't each of you, if he asked you?" As Nick started to open his mouth, Sara stopped him with a wave of her hand and her sharp words. "Rhetorical question."

This was tense, more tense than any of them thought possible.

"As much as you want to hate me, I think you should know that we're all really talented CSIs, and I enjoy working with each of you. … That doesn't mean that I like you every single minute of every day. We're all different and we work well together. We're a great team."

Her rant continued on, oblivious to there actually being other people in the room who might want a chance to speak. Sara had a lot of stuff on her chest that she needed to release. As much as she did not want to hurt Grissom, there was no way she could just sit idly by and let them be so… discourteous… to her. She would resign and save Grissom the pain if she felt it necessary.

"I've made mistakes, but at least I'm adult enough to admit to them. I've got problems, and I'm willing to try to work through them. You can each have your own opinion, and you're rightfully entitled to it. You can hate me, you can confront me… you can even go to our supervisor and tell him what a bitch I am. That's fine. I'm so over the animosity that some people harbor against me."

The moment Sara mentioned them going to Grissom, her entire mindset changed, and she wanted to run and hide. She had not changed her tone, but her mind shut down. It was in that instant she realized how hard this could really be. Grissom was right to feel hesitant to get in a relationship with her. Immediately, Sara could empathize with his hurt, pain, confusion over really getting into a personal relationship with her.

As strained as it had been for them with the unresolved tension between them, it sure had to be a lot better than she was making things now. How could she go home in the evenings and face him when she screwed something up? How could he reprimand her for something she did wrong? How could she ever believe that their lives could peacefully coexist between work and home?

Distractedly, Sara backed away from the table. Her cell phone rang a few feet from the table as she was almost at the door. "Hi. … No, I'm just leaving the lab now. … I know. … I'll be right there," Sara replied into the phone and clicked it shut.

She turned around before leaving the breakroom and stated firmly, "Grissom, by the way, is at a body in the desert. He called me to see if I wanted to head there rather then come to the lab first. When I told him I was already here, he asked me to read the assignments to him." She heaved a small forced chuckle. "_He's_ the one that delegated your assignments."

Sara walked away leaving each of them pondering what the hell had just happened.

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Sara had been silent since her arrival at the scene. She picked up evidence, scrutinized the area, and maintained her professional demeanor. After all, there were other Law Enforcement personnel around, and she had a job to do.

Grissom watched her with interest. She was far too quiet, and he could tell there was something weighing her down.

When the body was packed up and on its way to the morgue with David, Grissom told the officer on duty that he could vacate the scene. They had all the evidence they could find on the first walk-through. Brass was on his way to run down some leads after getting the address of the vic's ID.

Sara tossed the last few pieces of evidence in the back of the Tahoe and took one last glance at the scene. Somehow, a little of her anger had dissipated over the time she had been there. The outburst almost seemed as if it had never happened.

"Sara, talk to me. What happened?" Grissom approached her once the last patrol car had left them alone.

"What makes you think something happened?" Sara asked, not looking up from the evidence bin she was absently moving items around in, purposely avoiding Grissom's eyes.

Grissom placed his hands on top of hers. "This is what makes me think something happened."

Sara sighed long and heavy. She knew she had to tell him what happened. Knowing that still did not make her feel the least bit better. She was trying to prepare herself for him to get angry at her outburst. "I kinda said some things to the team, and now they're angry at me. They're probably going to complain later," she said as vaguely and simply as possible.

"What kind of things exactly?"

Sara turned to face him, ready to be yelled at. "I handed them the assignments like you said, and they started throwing a fit about me being the one to give them out. So, I told them I was sick of the animosity… amongst other things."

When Sara thought she was prepared for his reaction, she was wrong. Nothing could have prepared her for his response. "I'm sorry I put you in that position. I should have thought more about it. I just wanted to get to the body. You should have come here while I went to the lab first."

Sara could not contain her shock at what he said. Her jaw literally slacked and dropped an inch. Her mind wondered whether she should be hurt or happy. He was taking responsibility for it and not yelling at her for confronting them, but he was also implying that she should not have the right to hand out assignments.

Grissom went on to explain when he saw the confused look on her face. "The team does not take well to changes. When Holly Gribbs was shot, and I took over when Brass was sent back to Homicide, I was really apprehensive about it. Me being put in that position was a shock to everyone. No one takes well to being passed over. And, to them, it probably seemed like I just handed it off to you for no reason at all. Then, factor in what Catherine was feeling recently along with her being a previous supervisor, I can see how people would lash out at you. And, for that, I'm sorry. I should not have put you in that position."

"You do this on purpose, don't you?" Sara was finally about to force her mouth to move.

"Do what?" Grissom asked, confused, hoping he had not said the wrong thing again.

"Do the thing I least expect. I thought you'd yell at me for making a scene. And, I was all ready for it until you went all comforting and responsible on me."

"Well, what did you say to them?"

"Basically, that I knew they hated me, but that I liked working with them because they're all good CSIs."

Grissom was awestruck for a moment. "You said that?"

"That sums it all up pretty much." Sara looked sheepishly at him and heaved a small shrug of her shoulders.

"I'm not sure whether to be pleased, perplexed, or concerned."

"Let's head back to the lab and start processing before people miss us. Last thing we need is any of them being pleased, perplexed, and concerned over where we are and what we're doing. We'll go back to life as usual. We'll ignore each other, I'll sulk, and you'll be disagreeable. They'll never know."

Grissom leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips. "See you back at the lab, you revolting CSI."


	3. Chapter 3

Ties That Bind

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_Disclaimer_: Refer To Chapter 1…

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Sara successfully hid in Trace for most of the night. Most of the night, that is, until Catherine walked in about thirty minutes before shift was over.

"You got a minute?" Catherine asked.

"I'm busy, Catherine. Maybe later." Sara's reply was terse and unabashedly distant.

Catherine shut the door with a tiny thud. "Well, make the time."

Sara rolled her eyes and focused back on the microscope, making her best effort at ignoring Catherine's interruption. This was the last thing she expected or needed. Her hope had been that no one would mention what had happened earlier.

"Catherine," Sara said, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "I really need to process these samples. I don't have time to sit here and chat it up with you."

"Look, I know we're not the best of friends. At times, our relationship has been strained to even remain professional. You're a great CSI – one of the best I've ever worked with. You were right this morning when you said that there was hostility and also about us being a good team."

"I do believe I know what I said. Get to the point so I can go back to work."

Catherine was undeterred, staring Sara down. "Why did Grissom call you here?"

"I'm here of my own accord. I'm trying to discern what this particular element—"

"You know very well I'm not discussing the case," she spouted.

The tone in Catherine's voice caused Sara to spin around in her chair, finally pulling her absent gaze from the microscope.

"He called me here to help him."

"Why you?"

"How the hell should I know?" Sara screeched.

"Sara, why were you the first one that Grissom called when he had a problem?"

"That's something you should ask Grissom."

"I'm asking you." Catherine's voice, for the first time, sounded sincere.

"We knew each other. He asked me to come out as an independent party to investigate what went wrong internally before I.A. got involved and crucified one of his team."

"Do you know that was the first official decision he made in his position? When we're all sitting around fearing for our livelihood, he calls in an outsider to save us. Do you know what it felt like to be put in a position that he felt that insecure about us as a team? It wasn't your fault that it was you, we'd have reacted that way to anyone. Point is that we were scared. And we were hurt because he didn't trust us."

"He couldn't trust you. It was internal. It needed someone who was not involved at all in the situation. We deal with situations like this in our job. It's called a conflict of interest," Sara replied dryly.

"So, I ask again: why _you_?"

"And I will tell you again: ask Grissom." Sara shook her head as her glance darted away, scanning the other rooms in the lab.

Catherine ignored Sara's comment. "Do you know how long it took us to trust you? Not really you, but what you represented. How were we to know if you were just a mole? It was hard for us to understand when, after you finished up your report about Warrick, that Grissom asked you to stay."

"I didn't ask to stay, Catherine. I had a job in San Francisco when I was called here. I never have asked for special treatment, and I never will." Sara pulled her gaze pointedly back to Catherine, growing impatient with this conversation.

"Why did you stay?"

"Catherine, I'm not liking where this conversation is going. I don't have to explain myself to you."

"How does it feel to be hand-picked by the infamous Gil Grissom to work on his team?"

"What kind of question is that?" Sara scrunched up her face in disgust.

"He got stuck with the rest of us because we applied for a position. He got you because he wanted to. You may never have asked for special treatment, but you certainly received it. I don't know how you met, and it's up to either of you to tell the story if you'd wish, but the fact remains that the two of you share some history."

"Just because we knew each other for a while doesn't mean he feels differently about any of us that work for him."

"That's right, he's helped us all."

"Yes, he has. Does this mean we're done, Cath?" Sara turned back to the microscope, hoping that Catherine would take a hint and leave.

Again, Catherine ignored Sara. "Do you know how it feels to not be trusted?" When Sara's response was merely to turn back with a blank look on her face, Catherine continued, "I was Grissom's right hand for so long, and when you got here, I felt threatened."

"You have remained in that very position throughout all these years. So, what's the problem? I never tried to take that away."

"You never had to try. It just always threatened me. Sometimes it still does. I see the way he's looked at you – I see the way he still does."

"I can't and won't take away the position that you have here at the lab," Sara defended.

"If you were offered it, you can't tell me you wouldn't take it."

"I think anyone would, not just me."

"And, that's why I feel threatened by you. You're driven, determined, hard, and goal-oriented. You'd take that shot if it was afforded to you." For the first time since they had been talking, Catherine felt nervous. She dropped her gaze to the floor. "I'm also afraid of losing my friend to you… Sara, I see the way he looks at you, as well as you at him, and sometimes it hits me that I won't be able to be there for him… It's selfish, wrong, and irrational. Doesn't mean I wouldn't wish you both the best, but it means that after all the years we've shared, I would be alone. I guess I got used to he and I being alone together."

Sara busted out laughing, attempting to cover the flush on her face. "Catherine, if you haven't noticed, he and I can barely be in a room together. Whether or not he or I ever wanted something, it's not going to happen. However, I must say that sometimes I've felt threatened by you as well. Your friendship with him that I could never have. Doesn't mean I didn't like you, but it did sometimes strain how I felt about you. You get to know his personal side, and I could barely get to know the professional one."

Catherine chuckled and looked back up at Sara. "Personal side? Grissom has always been a private man. I don't know as much as you think I do."

"Look, Cath, I'm not going to take your job, and I'm not going to take your friend. I actually enjoy working with you, contrary to what people may believe about me." Sara added with a smirk, "And, I'd hate to be the only woman on the team. All that testosterone and just me to take the brunt of it? Hah!"

"Are we good?" Catherine asked with an uncertain look on her face.

"We will be. And, thank you for your candor. I'm sorry about blowing up at the beginning of shift."

"Nothing I wouldn't've done. But, and, this is a big but… You tell anyone what I said, and I'll deny it with a vengeance." Catherine grinned as she walked over to the door. "See you at shift tonight."

"Later, Cath," Sara called out to her.

Sara picked up all of the evidence she had been working on. Glancing at her watch, she noted that her shift was officially over. The evidence was getting nowhere, and she wanted a nap. Packing everything up and heading to the vault, Sara felt the most peaceful she had felt in months.

Fate would be playing a hand as Sara reached the room. Warrick was standing in there logging in his evidence from the B&E he had worked that evening. His greeting was only a glance in her direction. Sara was not put off by it.

"Warrick, I… would like to apologize for what I said at the beginning of shift. I'm not very good at this stuff. I was just… um, a little peeved about the implications of…"

"Hey, girl, we don't have to do this. I didn't exactly give you time to explain yourself before I jumped to conclusions. I guess it's a character flaw in both of us sometimes. We've all got a job to do, and it wouldn't be fair to hold that against someone."

Sara chuckled and looked down at the floor. "Yeah…"

"Don't go and get all melancholy on me. That's what wives are for." Warrick grinned at her.

"Are we good?" Sara echoed Catherine's words of just a few minutes before.

"Definitely. Wouldn't want it any other way. We've been through hell and back many times. I kinda like the company."

Sara looked awkwardly at Warrick for a minute. A smirk appeared on her face. Raising her head confidently, she replied, "Hell and back is about right. Can't wait to get on that ride again."

"Good. 'Cause we're taking another trip in about fourteen hours. Speaking of which, I've got to get home and get some sleep. I'll catch ya later." Warrick touched Sara's shoulder on the way past and slipped out the door.

Sara found herself smiling. Packing the evidence away, she drowned herself in thoughts of how her life had changed in the prior weeks. Everything was settling into place. In the months prior, life had been strained, and, oh, how it had all turned around.


	4. Chapter 4

Ties That Bind

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_Disclaimer_: Refer To Chapter 1…

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Passing DNA, Sara spotted Greg. Some force inside her propelled her into the room, interrupting his conversation with the tech. The tech indicated that someone was coming in, and Greg turned around to see Sara's smile.

"Hey, Greggo. Think I can steal you for a second?" Sara asked.

He walked out into the hall with her. "I was totally flirting with her. This better be important," he joked.

Sara pulled him into a hug and whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry about this evening. I didn't mean to go crazy in there. I've just been wound too tight lately, and I needed to unleash some of it. I shouldn't've taken it out when everyone was there."

"Leggo the Greggo, Sara! I can't work the ladies if you're hanging on me." His smile and laughter said everything she needed to hear. Sara pulled away and used her own smile to thank him.

Sara muttered to herself, "One more." There was one more person she needed to talk to before she left for the day. Where was Nick? After searching what she thought was everywhere, Sara walked almost dejectedly to Grissom's office.

"Nicky! I've been looking for you everywhere," Sara announced, leaning against the doorjamb.

When he turned around and just looked at her, Sara immediately regretted bursting happily into the room. A subdued glance from Grissom confirmed her suspicions. Sara backed off of the frame and moved into the middle of the doorway. Her body moved into intruder mode.

"Am I interrupting anything? Sorry, that's stupid. I can see that I am. I'm sorry. I—I didn't know. You guys were talking. I just ran in here without thinking. I'll just…uh, just… I'm leaving now," Sara rambled.

As she turned embarrassedly to leave, Nick stopped her. "Sara, you want to talk?"

Sara's eyes flew from Nick to Grissom and back to Nick. "Yeah, but whenever. It's not… not something that's worth interrupting you guys over. We can talk la—"

Glancing from Nick to Sara, Grissom interrupted, "I was just going over to DNA to look in on the results from my latest case. You two can talk here if you'd like."

Grissom made his way quickly to the door, never taking his eyes off of Sara. Ever so gently, he squeezed her arm on the way past. The touch was calming and gentle, and Sara was reassured by it.

As soon as Grissom was out of the room, Sara moved in and dropped herself into the chair beside Nick. An uncomfortable silence overtook the room and enveloped them. Both of them were avoiding looking at the other, trying to figure out where to start talking.

"Nick, I'm no good at this, but I just… wanted to say that I think I overreacted this morning."

"No, no, you didn't. You were about to get eaten alive." He avoided her eyes.

"That's what upsets me the most. I don't understand why people believe I could do it. And, specifically why people think I shouldn't."

"Because of your history with Grissom." His tone was soft and yet, still accusing.

"What history?" Sara huffed, "What is it people think we did?"

"C'mon, Sara." Nick turned to face her. "He invited you here, he asked you to stay, and he treats you differently. There had to be something."

"There was never anything between Grissom and me, no matter what people may imagine. Why is that so hard to believe?"

Nick looked down at his hands nervously. "Can't you see the way he treats you sometimes?"

Sara let out one single chuckle. "Yeah, I see that he can barely stand to be in the same room with me, look in my eyes, or carry on a conversation for more than two minutes, even when it's work-related. If that's what you're talking about, sure, I can see that as being different."

He shook his head in response. "And, why is it that he treats you that way? No… No… don't answer that. I don't really care why. I don't really care what you two did in your past. That's not what this is about. I'm more concerned with being accused of being hostile with you over the years—"

"Nick, you have to admit that things were a little strained for us in the beginning. And, even a few times through the years. It's been a slight undercurrent. Not to say that we're at each other's throats, but you know we've both after the same goals."

"I've always thought of you as a sister. I have enjoyed working with you. I would never intend to be hostile to you… not for six years, anyway."

"Most of what I said was directed towards two people in particular. I already apologized to Greg. This is why I was looking for you. We've been honest with each other, and I wouldn't want it any other way… I'm sorry."

Nick smiled. "Me, too. I'm sorry you've felt that way. Not really your fault Grissom picked you to work here." The smile turned a little wry. "Speaking of which, when you said that there _was_ nothing between you and Grissom…"

Sara winced. "Oh, no!" she exclaimed, embarrassed, "Not going there. He's our boss… that'd just be crazy."

Nick noticed the flush on her face, but allowed her the idea that she was hiding how she felt about Grissom. "Cool. If you ever need to talk…" Nick stood to leave. "…just let me know. I'll be there in a heartbeat."

Sara remained in her seat, but looked over her shoulder watching Nick leave. "Thanks, Nick. I'm good for now. But, I might take you up on that. Better stay on your toes."

"You want breakfast? I know how much you like the diner." Nick flashed a devilish grin and waggled his eyebrows.

"Nah, but thanks. I've got plans for breakfast. Maybe tomorrow."

"Hot date?"

Sara found herself in a fit of laughter. "No, not a hot date. You keep assuming I've got a steamy romance in my life. It's just breakfast with a friend I haven't seen in a while. It gives me a reason to get out of the house."

"Gotcha. Have a good day, Sar."

With that, Nick was gone leaving Sara alone in Grissom's office. She sat back in her chair and threw her feet up on Grissom's desk. Completely contented for the first time in months, Sara shut her eyes and smiled. Relief flooded her as she placed her hands behind her head and stretched.

"You look comfortable," Grissom observed from the doorway.

Sara did not even bother to turn around. "Mmm."

"You ready to go home?"

"Depends," she sighed, "How'd the DNA results turn out?"

"What DNA results?" Grissom walked over to his desk and sat down.

"The ones you went to retrieve," Sara reminded him.

"I don't know," he admitted, "I suppose we can find out at our shift tonight."

Sara opened one eye to peek at him. "For someone who claims to not be very good with people…"

"I'm not completely inept at reading people, just sometimes in responding to them when I'm afraid of the result." Grissom tipped his head slightly and winked at her, a slow and small smile spreading over his lips.

"Feed me. I'm starving," Sara stated bluntly.

As Grissom opened his mouth to respond, Catherine busted into the room. Abruptly, she stopped upon seeing Sara's relaxed nature. She eyes the brunette quizzically for a few moments in an attempt to understand the situation. Grissom cleared his throat, interrupting Catherine's inspection.

"You owe me breakfast, Gil," Catherine stated bluntly.

Sara swung her legs down and rubbed her eyes. She rested her elbows on her knees and rested her head in her hands. It was an attempt to hide the awkwardness she felt at being caught in Grissom's office so at ease.

"I owe you breakfast?" he almost squeaked, "How did you reach that conclusion?"

"You promised to go to breakfast once a week. You missed the last one. So, I'm making you buy me breakfast as your apology. The entire team's going. Get your jacket, and let's go."

Sara stood to leave, purposefully not looking at Grissom. "I'll see you guys at shift tonight. I'm going home. My bed is calling."

"You have to eat, too," Catherine demanded, "You're coming with us. Meet at the diner."

Before either one could react, Catherine was gone, leaving two very confused people in her wake.

"You said you were hungry," Grissom teased her.

"That wasn't all I had on my mind. Regretfully, I have to remain professional for another hour or so. I suppose it won't kill me. I need to get in practice."

"Is everything… all right after what you told me earlier?"

"Better than ever. For the first time I can remember, I can say that my outburst actually did some good." Sara tilted her head to the door. "Let's not keep them waiting."


	5. Chapter 5

Ties That Bind

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_Disclaimer_: Refer To Chapter 1…

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Plopping down in the booth beside her, Nick ventured, "Thought you had a date, Sara?"

Everyone's gaze gravitated to her. All too quickly, looking down at her hands nervously, she spat out, "It wasn't a date, and I only postponed."

"You cancelled a date for us?" Greg asked, shocked.

"Sometimes," Sara explained honestly, "some things are just more important."

"You're dating someone?" Grissom's voice seemed to startle everyone, himself included. He looked at her attempting neutrality. Grissom had never been one to interfere or even question anyone's personal life, and he hoped upon everything that no one had caught the amused tone in his voice.

"I—I… How'd we get on this subject?" Sara stumbled apprehensively.

Warrick saw her discomfort and saved her by swiftly switching the subject to him and Tina. He remarked at how he was happy for their breakfasts because he could eat anything and not have Tina censoring his food intake.

The conversation was light and very pleasant. It was a new start for the team. They were playful and relaxed. It was like a group of teenagers had taken over their bodies.

* * *

Lying in bed, Grissom looked down at Sara. She had her head lying on his chest, relishing the closeness, her arm draped over his stomach. Grissom rubbed her back with the arm he had underneath her. 

"Why did you give me almost six years to tell figure out what I really wanted?"

"Six?" Sara scoffed, "More like almost ten."

"Ten?" Grissom asked incredulously.

"Yes, _ten_," she said, flabbergasted, "How easily you forget just what you and your bugs did when you swept into my life at that seminar."

Grissom smiled at the memory. "Me sweeping into your life? As I recall, it was you who was sitting in the classroom first, was the last to leave, and posed an insurmountable amount of inquisitive questions in between… I seriously thought of having security come and get you at one point." Sara poked him in the stomach, to which Grissom relented, "Okay, not seriously, but it was intimidating."

"I was upset when the seminar was over. The time was too short, and I was only too thrilled when you suggested we keep in touch. I couldn't wait for the next e-mail or phone call from you in those years. Oh, and those couple of other times we were able to meet when you were in town on business. Those were the highlight."

"You were so young and beautiful and brilliant. I couldn't take my eyes off of you. And, to this day, nothing had changed. I wish I had just relented back then and told you how I felt."

"We wouldn't be where we are today – neither of us."

"You don't know that," he countered.

"No, I don't know that, but it just feels like it. If we had discussed our attraction back in San Francisco, what would we have done? Me move here or you there? Where would we have gotten jobs? If I'd've moved here then, you wouldn't be a supervisor. If you'd've moved there, you'd always wonder what you were missing here. You gave Vegas its ranking."

"Do you ever miss San Francisco?"

"I used to. But, truthfully, not really. It was more of an occasional 'I wonder what they're doing now' feeling. You're here, and that's what I really wanted. I'd follow you to the most remote places on the planet just to be near you."

"So, you don't regret it?"

"No," she stated emphatically. "Not for a minute. Not only has it afforded me being close to you, but it's also been a wonderfully educational experience. I got the best of it all. I have learned so much being on your team. You're amazing… in so many ways. I wouldn't trade a minute of my experiences here in Vegas."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Why did you ask me to come to Vegas?"

Grissom chuckled lightly, slightly stunned at the sudden shift in her questioning him. "I wanted to be close to you in the only way I felt I could at the time. You were so… well, everything. I was afraid I could never be what you needed, but I needed to be close to you. Your innocence and drive, your uniqueness, your hunger and passion for information and our profession were intoxicating. I was just afraid I couldn't give you enough."

Grissom kissed her temple and continued, "So, I took what I felt I could get, and that was you in a professional sense. At times it was so hard to differentiate because I did want more. After finding out you did too, it was even harder. I pushed you away because I was even more scared of getting hurt. I still feel I don't deserve you."

Sara kissed his stomach. "You're everything I've ever wanted and needed. I couldn't ever ask for more… Today… today I realized what it's going to take for us to be together, and I finally and completely understood some of your hesitation. It's going to be hard for us to work together. Working in the sense that there are other people involved that could get hurt. Or when I do something stupid, and you'll have to be there to reprimand me. Or if I do something stupid, and you get in trouble for it."

She hugged him tightly as she rambled on. "You're all I could think of after I said what I said to the team, and I worried what they might say to you… How you'd be forced to deal with me. I don't want to put you in that situation."

"Mmm. We'll figure it out as we go."

"I suppose we'll have to, because I'm not going to give up easily," she breathed. Anxiously, she spouted, "Hey, you'll never believe what Catherine told me today. She basically said that she was afraid of losing you to me because of our history."

"Catherine is insecure about losing _me_? But…"

"Yes, well, apparently, it's bothered a lot of people as to what you and I were before you invited me to stay, and just what your or my intentions were. She felt threatened by you picking me personally to work with you. She thought I was going to take her friend and then her job."

"You, um, didn't tell her about… us, did you?"

"Not exactly. I think she knows how we feel, but I assured her that there was nothing, and probably never would be anything, for her to feel threatened about. We made up, and I think everything is good. In fact, I talked to the entire team, and we all made amends of sorts today."

"I'm glad." Grissom sighed. "So, what do you want to do in our three hours before we have to leave for work?"

Sara giggled and looked up at him. "I have a few things on my mind." She moved up to lie beside him and kissed him passionately.

The screeching telephone beside him made Grissom grunt disapprovingly. A telephone call was the last thing on his mind. Still kissing Sara, he threw his arm behind him to the nightstand and fumbled for the phone. Finding it, he reluctantly pulled away.

"Grissom," he stated, looking longingly at Sara's lips, "… Okay, we'll he right there. … Well, um, I assumed other people would be called in as well. … I'll call Sara. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to come in early. … Be at the lab in forty minutes." He clicked the phone shut and sighed.

"Duty calls," Sara surmised with a grin.

"You ready to go to work?"

"It's what I live for," she replied, jumping off the bed and heading for the shower.

"Hey!" Grissom called out, "I didn't tell you how cute you were today wearing my T-shirt."

Sara peeked her head back in the room for a second. "That reminds me…" she said with a smile, "Do you have another I could borrow? I didn't bring anything to wear again."

"I'll never complain about your lack of clothing when we're in the house. However, I do find it my duty to mention that you may want to wear your own clothing to work from time to time before people become overly suspicious… You are more than able to bring over some items and leave them here."

Sara could not contain her happiness at that statement. She sprinted over to the bed and threw herself on top of Grissom. "Thank you."

Grissom hugged her and knew in that moment, everything was right in the world. He had his job, his happiness, and his Sara. Everything was molded together perfectly, and there was no way he could be any happier than he was right then.

* * *

The End 

(Deep Bow)

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